Last night, 14 Goodgymmers came out to help out at Galleywall Nature Reserve.

First to arrive at our meeting point, Old Spike, was Steve, who had been away recently. Whilst we caught up, newbie Chong arrived - and then nipped back out to check out a bike shop. Similarly, Isaac came dashing in, only to dash back out to do a quick lap of the Rye. Emma, Sarah, Nelly, Fi, Tim and Katy arrived and stayed 😅

Once everyone had arrived, I started welcome speech, and we gave a proper welcome to Chong. Our ice breaker question this week was related to the task... "Imagine we're going on a nature walk together, what do you see?". Tim started us off with a caterpillar, Chong gave some insight into his favourite sports team, and everyone else built a beautiful scene with a river, a waterfall, some salmon swimming in the river, some light filtering through the trees...🥹. It was a great team effort!

After a quick warm-up, we set off on our 4k run to Galleywall. I think it was the warmest day we've had this year, so it was a sweaty one!

When we arrived at Galleywall, James, Richard, Daryl and Andrada were already there. Eddie from Galleywall welcomed us and explained to us the task: we had to move some logs out of a ditch, and then put them back in a less haphazard manner, so that it would be safe for children.

Even though outcome was clear, we were not certain about how to achieve it initially. Steve came up with the idea of taking everything out the ditch, and then putting the big things back first, to give a stable base, so we rolled with that. We got into pairs and started to self-organise, and we completed the task surprisingly quickly.

Eddie came to inspect out work, and during this, he had the idea to dismantle some of the bug hotels so that people at the bus stop would be able to look through the "windows" to see into the nature reserve. After some discussion and experimentation, we opened up two windows.

At some point Daryl got separately picked to mow the grass.

Just as I started to worry that there may not be enough work for us, Eddie came round with laminated booklets which was a guided nature walk of the nature reserve. We split off into fours and off we went!

We finished at 8pm exactly to run/walk/cycle back to Peckham, perfect timing for our social at Skylarking. 🍻

It's the first Wednesday of the month (of April), which meant these 10 Goodgymmers would end up having a social after the group run. Yet, first we had to do a bit of good and get fit before we could sink a couple of pints.

Sam running from home met up Laura and Maria who were waiting outside Old Spike Peckham to be let in. As they got talking about politics with Isaac, who arrived shortly after, Rosalind, Emma, Nelly and Elena came through the doors to join in on the conversation.

As it struck 18:45, Sam started his intro speech, his ice-breaker question was to do with two social dates: National Walking Day and National Burrito Day, so his question and snap-poll was: "Where is your favourite spot/area for walks?" and "You only have one option to go with your burrito: guaca or salsa, which would you choose?"

The snap-poll brought out guaca on top whereas many people like to walk in the same spots namely Thames Path, South Downs and parks in London like Brockwell, Hampstead Heath, Richmond, Regent's and Beckenham Place Park.

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Our residency this Spring and Summer

After a quick warm up, Sam led the group out of Peckham whilst Laura backmarked. Within 20 minutes, we ran up Chadwick Road (some finding it tougher this time) and came down the other side to end up in Camberwell to meet Catalina (task owner), Andrada and Jessie at the Wildlife Triangle. Catalina had three main jobs for us:

• Emma and Isaac took on the responsibility of moving woodchip with the single wheelbarrow across the Elmington site.
• Maria took Andrada, Jessie and Rosalind to weed around a playground.
• Finally, Sam, Elena, Laura and Nelly stayed behind at the Wildlife Triangle to clear up the space here using shears and handtools to tackle weeds and trim back brambles.

The time zoomed by as 40 minutes evaporated. We put the tools back in the wheelbarrow and the weeds/trimmings in the compost bin before a quick group photo. We said our goodbyes to Catalina, but we know we will be back next month as we promise to help out each month for the Spring/Summer period.

We ran back to Peckham at a more rapid pace as we wanted to get to our social as soon as we can. Those who did not leave their belongings at Old Spike started the social at Social whilst the rest quickly got their belongings and headed over for a pint or two.

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out last night! Catalina appreciates that we will take some ownership of the gardens in the estate and we will potter around each month until September. Basically, we will do the jobs the residents can't do. Thank you to Maria for taking the photos and Laura for backmarking.

On International Day of Happiness and French Language Day, Sam welcomed in Elena, Paulin, Isaac, Lindy, Katy, Nelly, Maria and Daryl into Old Spike Peckham for another group run. After his intro speech, his ice-breaker question was to do with one of the social dates...he chose to ask what everyone's favourite French word is:

From "Boh" to "pittoresque" and "bissou" to "oo la la", we had all your stereotypes and intriguing French words.

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What's flyering in french?

With this being one of our longer runs, Sam opted to skip the warm-up and head to Galleywall Nature Reserve as it is a 4k run each way. We started off fast to avoid the people on Rye Lane before feeling the humidity on this warm muggy night. We all made it to the Nature Reserve just after 19:15 to find Eddie welcoming in Phil, but we did not notice until after Eddie gave a list of jobs/tasks that Sander had already arrived and was cracking on with transporting leaf mulch. Yet, we had more people than tasks, but luckily Sam had flyers from Library of Things to distribute to the neighbourhood around Surrey Quays. Staying with Eddie in the Nature Reserve:

• Emma, Elena, Lindy, Maria, Nelly, Phil and Sander stayed behind to collect leaf mulch, saw wood and put in wooden pole signage firmly into the ground.
• Whilst Daryl, Isaac, Katy, Paulin and Sam ran off to deliver the flyers using the 40 minutes to tackle the estates near Surrey Quays Overground.

Upon arriving back at the Nature Reserve close to 20:00, Sam noticed those at the Nature Reserve had already been done with their tasks about five minutes prior, so without further waiting he took a group photo and they said their goodbyes to Eddie, Elena(who lives closeby), Emma, Phil and Sander.

We ran back to Peckham at a slower pace as most of us were tired and the humidity was still in the air. Once we arrived back at Old Spike at 20:30, Sam opted out of a stretch and told everyone left to stretch at home.

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out last night! Eddie always appreciates our time at the Nature Reserve to help fine tune the area and we got a shoutout from Library of Things on Instragram too. Thank you to Maria for backmarking the runs to / from Galleywall Nature Reserve.

Opening up Old Spike Peckham with not just one key, but two as Old Spike had a break in a few weeks ago and Sam had to get a spare key for the second lock.

As our regular runners came in, it was great to see Tony come and claim his second good deed. Slowly everyone trickled into Old Spike in Peckham and as 18:45 arrived, Sam promptly went through his usual GG intro speech, but formally introduced himself (which was weird...). Afterwards, his ice-breaker questions were to do with a host of social dates including Pi Day, World Sleep Day and St. Paddy's Day. Firstly, everyone had to answer what their favourite pie and how many hours of sleep they normally get before Sam started a word association game with things to do with Ireland (with the added touch that what was suggested couldn't be used again).

There were all sorts of pies from steak and kidney to apple pie. The average hour of sleep everyone got was 7-8, but quite worrying some got less than 4 whilst others overslept...From Guinness to Whiskey and Shamrocks to potatoes, our Ireland word association game didn't prove difficult at all!

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Getting ready for bed and a corporate group

After a quick warm-up in the alleyway, Sam led the group through the backstreets of Peckham and up Chadwick Road (the hill) and down towards Denmark Hill. Arriving at Thorlands Gardens slightly late, we met Simon who was filming us running in. We also met James and Jessie at the task, as they opted to walk and run to the task, respectively.

Simon had already gathered the tools we needed, so we proceed to the "Wild Garden" to put down the tools and split the group:

• Isaac, Lindy, Paulin and Tony were up for the mulch run as they brought over wheelbarrows of mulch for the beds where we will grow exotic trees.
• Simon needed a trio team to clear the terrace, so that it would be ready for the corporate group to use on Friday. Andrada, Jessie and Maria swept the terrace, dragged the bags of sticks and brambles and even helped cut them down further to ease the composting method.
• Lastly, the majority, weeded. They needed to clear the weeds from the mulch beds, so that the mulch runners could put mulch on them. This group had Gemma, James, Nathan, Nelly

Since we were slightly late within 30 minutes, we managed to take out all the weeds where the mulch beds will be and some extra in other places. Plus, the mulch running team brought six wheelbarrow's worth of mulch and team terrace cleared the terrace. Everything was all set for Friday, apart from a flat tire on a wheelbarrow.

After putting back the tools, we left Lindy, James and Paulin there before running off back to Old Spike. On the way back, Andrada and Jessie peeled off back to their respective homes.

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Thank You to all the GG-ers

A personal thanks from me to all those who came out last night! Our regular monthly sessions at Thorlands Gardens is always appreciative and we got the site ready for a corporate session on Friday. Thank you to Daryl for backmarking the runs to / from Thorlands Garden and to everyone for getting stuck in.